Spudder attachment



Feb. 5, 1952 H, w, CARDWVELL TAL 2,584,328

SPUDDER ATTACHMENT Filed sept. 14, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 jrhla lf. Zznlwel Herald irowm Edu/ald Zjhb 'eb. 5, 1952 H. w. cARDwELl. ErAL 2,584,328

SPUDDER ATTACHMENT 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1948 Edwan jfo,

J @440W M ATTO R N EYS Patented f'eb. 5, 1952 y ff LUNITED 'STATI-:s xmlfr:NT oFF-1ct'.

"srnnnnir'ommwr Y Harland W. CardwelLGeraltl G. BroWn, "and "Ed- -ward V. Hobbs, yWichita, Kans., assignors to Cardwell IManufacturing e(loropany, 4.1110.,

Wichita, Kans.V

Application 'September 14, 1948, Serial No.'f219,264

invention relates Vto a .spudding attachment for drilling rigs and particularly tocan 'attachment-for sa standard type of drill rig whereby 'to aadaptthe rig to operate cabler tools.V

According to the present vinvention, .an attachment 'is provided for a standard drilling rig and includes an elongated crank pin mounted `for orbital movement about van axis .generally parallel to the :axis -of a cable `drum which constitutes part of thebasic rig. The-elongated crank :pin mentioned car-ries a sheave rotatable thereon and longitudinally slidable therealong. -A cable partially Vwound on said 'drum is trained over said sheaye and thence extends rupwardly over a crown .pulley carried neargthe top o'fr amast or the `.like thence downwardly jto an impact drilling tool. y.Upon rotation iof the crank the cable will fbermoved in suchfa-manner as to alternately lift and drop the tool to effect piercing of an earth formation. As the cable unwinds from the drum, during downward progress of the hole, the Asheave `moves longitudinally of the ycnank pin to Yalign itself with the cable extending from the drum, The spudder attachment of the present invention, also includes novel means for ad-v justably mounting the :crank pin `on its Supportfing structure whereby the throw of the crank may be varied.` y g .It is an object of vthis invention .to Vprovide an attachmentV -for a conventional drill-ing rig to readily adapt the said rig to operatecable tools. It is a ,further `object ofthis invention toI provide a spudder ,attachmentivr al dri-llrig kthat is readily :and easily mounted on theV rig org/ref moved therefrom. Y

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a spudder mechanism employing a crank to be continually rotated in one direction and upon which crank va cable-engaging sheave .is mounted for rotation and longitudinal sliding movement. l

It is another object of this invention to provide a spudder attachment employing a rotatable crank and in which the throwof the crankvmay be varied.

It is a` still further object of this invention `to provide a spudder mechanism of rugged yet simple construction which is economical to manufacture, involving no complicated machining process.

Other and further objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art-as the detailed description proceeds .in connection with the .accompanying drawings, wherein:

,Figure l .is a side elevational view of a mor or less conventional drill rig with the spudder 2 claims. (c1. dii-600i lll . f 2 attachment of the `present':invention mounted thereon, Y

fFigureZis a perspective view loi' the spudder attachment of thea-present invention, l Y

:Figure 3 is an end View lof :the crank .element ofthe spudderiof this invention-,and Y LoFigure 4 z-is l,af sectional view, with certain parts shown :in eleva-tien,l taken substantially along Vthe line 4--11 o-f Figure 3 and Ylooking the-directionofthe arrows. i

Referring to AFigure .1, the numeral 1-I indicates general-ly a more ,or less conventional form of drilling rig rand comprises .a base portion!! Awith a superstructure thereon. Thesuperstructure Susupports-a motor -4 'and `,cable winding ,drums 5 and 63. It isv to-be understood that .the `usual transmission :and controlmechanisms .whereby the lmoto: 54 `may selectively drivel the -drums 5 or 6 are-contemplatedbut .omitted from Figure l of `the Vdrawings :for f clarity :of illustration. Such control and y-zl'fr-ansmission mechanisms form .no part of the .presentginvention and nneed not be describedindetail, isuice it tofsay that Such means areeontemplated. .An -upstanding .framework I is carried at ythe,rearinost,end of theframe 2 and ,an upstanding vframework B 1is .carriedat the forward end thereof.L The v,frameyvork Vll lincludesfa transversely nfmtenc'ing nshall', or 'bar Q9 at the upper end thereof to which va .mast [0 pivoted. ,As shown .in .Figure k1 (the .mast is in its erected position 'but' 'it willbe clear that 'the'mast may be rotated counter-clockwise about theshaft 9 to lie generally horizontally with Athe rearwardly extending-portion thereof restingupon the frame '1. rEhe emast IIJ includes V.a'dowriwamlly extending .foot vI I engaging a stop block .l2 ,and Ybearing upon .a transverse frame member Knot shown) whereby `the mast .may be l:properly located .in its erected position The .mast |50 Y,further :carries -a rotatable esheave vlf3 .adiacentthe .upper endthereof.V

The-spudder attachment of .the present invention is indicatedgenerally by Ithenumeral Hand includes Ameans providing .an axis l5 vxedly mounted on the rig frame, crank arms -.l.l,`-a. crank pin, YKsheave .,l'l, `and lmeans whereby the sheave is caused `to move infan .orbital path about the axis l5( s A v.cable .1,8, woundupon Vthe idrum `5 extends over the sheave v`IFI then /upwardlygand-over the sheaver :Ig:` and vdgswnwa rdly to an impact drilling tool lll-of neual ,construction. .'lvhe cranks I5 are :caused yto jrotate :by `adsprocket wheel 4,2;0 driven fby r,a chain `2l from a sprocket yv vneel ;22

on .theshaft of the uppersdnm.

t will be clear that as the shaft of the upper drum 6 is caused to rotate continuously in one direction, the chain 2I and sprocket wheel 2U will cause the sheave I1 to move about the axis I5 and will be eective to lift the tool I9 during part of its rotation and to allow the tool to drop during thereinainder of a cycle of rotation of the sheaves I1. As successive impacts ofthe tool i9 cause a hole being pierced in the earth formation to increase in depth, the drum 5, upon which cable i8 is wound, may be intermittently or continuously rotated at the proper rate to cause the tool I9 to follow the deepening bore hole.

The axis I is provided by stub shafts V23 and 24 (see Figure 2) mounted in bearings 25 on an auxiliary framework 26. The framework 26 is so constructed and shaped that it readily engages certain portions of the drilling rig superstructure 3 to which it may readily be bolted or otherwise fastened as indicatedin Figure 1 of the drawings.

The bearing brackets 25 are bolted or otherwise fastened to the framework 26 and include upwardly extending portions 21 which are threaded at their ends and passed through a slot in a bracket 28 carried by the frame 26. Nuts 29` "and 30 are threadedly engaged with the threaded ends of the extensions 21 and are located on opposite sides of the brackets 28. Looseningof the bolts holding the bearing members 25' to thesframe 26, will enablethe nuts 29 and 30 to be manipulated in an obvious manner to effect proper axial alignment ofthe bearings 25 and to effect proper tensioning of the chain 2I.

The stub shafts 23 and 24 are mounted in axial alignment and the sprocket wheel 2liv is mounted on the outer end of the stub shaft 23 and held thereon by means of a key or in any other suitable manner. `The sprocket wheel 20 is shown removed from the stub shaft 23 in Figure 2 of the drawings, 'which is merely for-clarity of illustration. It is to beunderstood that in the assembled attachment the sprocket wheel 20 is rigidly mounted on the outer end portion of the stub shaft 23.

f Figure 2` also shows the sprocket wheel 22 referred'to above, and ja clutch indicated generally at 3! to' effect engagement or disengagement of the said sprocketl wheel 22 from the shaft of the upper drum 6 uponwhich it is mounted. The clutch 3l may be'operated by means of a lever 32; located Aadjacent the operators position, through suitable links and levers 33 and 34.

As stated previously, thestub shafts 23 and 24 are in axial alignment and carry at their inner endsradially extending crank arms to be described. Figure 3 illustrates one of the crank arms and as shown therein, a ller block 35 and reinforcing plates 36 are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the end of the shaft 23. A split ring 31 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the, filler block 35 and the plates 36 and is provided with outwardly extending lugs 38 through which bolts `39 extend-and which may be tightened to compress the split ring 31 for a, purpose to be later described. The stub shaft 24 includes identicalelements to those just described and it will be seen that the blocks 35, plates 36, and rings 31 constitute crank arms on the shafts 23 and 24. The'split rings-31 define cylindrical bores or openings 40 in which cylindrical members 4I are positioned. The cylindrical members 4I may be provided with recesses 42 (see Fig. 4) of Vsuch size and configuration as to snugly receive an elongated, preferably tubular, crank pin 43. The recess 42 in the cylindrical member 4I is located 4 eccentrically of the said cylindrical member and it will be readily seen that rotation of the said cylindrical members in the bores 40 will be effective to position the crank pin 43 atn different distances from the axis of the shafts 23 and 24. The axis of the shafts 23 and 24 is the axis I5 referred to in connection with Figure l. l

The crank pin 43 may, of course, be solid if desired, but will preferably be rigidly united to the cylindrical member 4I such as by welding or the like. The recess 42 constitutes merely one means for attaching the crank pin 43 to the block 4I and it will be obvious that other expedients may be employed for this purpose.

Upon rotationiof the cylindrical members 4I in the bores 4U to'position the axis of the crank pin -43 at the desired radius, the bolts 39 may be tightened thus clamping the split rings 31 to the cylindrical members 4I thus fixing the crank pin in its adjusted position. To further insure proper positioning of the member 4I in the bore 40 and to insure its being held in that position, the members 4I are provided with shear blocks or abutments 44, Welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the outer face thereof. A bar 45 is positioned between the said shear blocks 44, in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 and is removably attached to the said member 4I by means of bolts or cap screws 46. The outer end portion of the split ring 31 is likewise provided with diametrically opposed pairs of shear blocks 41,'the blocks of each pair being spaced apart a distance equal to or slightly Vgreater than the width of the bar 45. The shear blocks or abutments 4-1 may be formed integrally with the split ring 31 or may be welded thereto or fashioned in any other desirable manner. It is to be understood that the pairs of abutments 41 on one split ring correspond inv angular position to the pairs on the other split ring. The crank pin 43 may be provided with an opening 48 adjacent one end thereof.

To effect adjustment of the crank pin 43 the bolts 46 and bars 45 may be removedfrom the ends of the members4 I, the bolts 39 may be loosened to release the split rings 31 andy upon insertion of a bar or Vother suitable lever means in the hole 48, the crank pin 43 and block and members 4I may be rotated in amounts suflicient to effect the desired adjustment. ASuch positions of adjustment will preferably correspond to the annular positions ofthe pairs of lugs 41. After the desired adjustment is made,-bolts 35 may be again tightened and thebars 45 -replaced to extend between the lugs 44 and 41 'and upon replacing the bolts or cap screws 46 the crank pin will obviously be locked in its adjusted position.

As previously described'thesheave I1 is provided with a central opening of such dimension that it will freely rotate upon the crank pin 43 under the influence of the cable I8 and `is freely slidable longitudinally of the said crank pin. Such a structure is commonly known as a fleeting sheave. Y

The auxiliary'frame 23 vpreviously referred to preferably includes cross members 49 andi and may include diagonal brace Amembersl 5I. The various elements of the auxiliary'frame 26 may be bolted or welded together or may be assembled in any other suitable manner.

Preferably the auxiliary frame 26 is provided with clevis members 52 which may be engaged with the main frame 2 in the manner shown in Figure l to properly tension the members to eliminate vibrations and to unite the attachment to the drilling rig in a rigid manner,

y Although Inot shown, it is contemplated that the chain2l and sprocket wheels 20 and '212'.be provided with a suitable protective cover vor housing. It isalso contemplated that the eetr ing sheave I1 be provided with a suitable cover or housing Amovable therewith longitudinally o f the crank pin and independently rotatable thereon to enable it to be maintained in apre;- determined*A position of vertical orientation. Such orientation could be maintained by attaching a weight to one side ofy the housing.

Although a single specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is clear that other modications may be resorted to Within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

We claim: Y

1. In a spudding attachment for well drilling apparatus, a frame, a pair of axially spaced and aligned stub shafts journallecl on said frame, crank varms on adjacent ends of said stub shafts, an elongated crank pin extending between the ends of said crank arms, means for rotating said stub shafts continuously in one direction, each of said crank arms having a cylindrical bore therethrough parallel to the axis of said stub shafts,` acylinder rotatably mounted in each of said bores, each of said cylinders being of a length substantially equal to the length of said bores, the ends of said crank pin being eccentrically attached to said cylinders whereby to change the throw of said crank pin upon rota- 6 tion of said cylinders in said bores, diametrically extending bars removably attached to the outermost end faces of said cylinders and projecting radially therebeyond in overlapping relation to portions of said crank arms,thc said portions of said crank arms being provided with xed abutments adjacent opposite Y sides of said bars whereby to lock said cylinders against rotation in said bores. 'f

2. A spudding attachment as defined in claim 1 wherein said bores are dened by split sleeves and wherein means are provided to clamp said split sleeves to the peripheries of said cylinders.

HARLAND W. CARDWELL.

GERALD G. BROWN.

EDWARD V. HOBBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 325,813 Briggs Sept. 8, 1885 340,318 Imler Apr. 20, 1886 374,292 Culy Dec. 6, 1 887 379,277 James et al. Mar. 13, 1888 462,134 Hiscock Oct. 27, 1891 747,322 Higgins Dec. 15, 1903 1,197,680 Stevens et al. Sept. 12, 1916 1,847,048 Orr e Feb. 23, 1932 1,924,516 Rider Aug. 29, 1933 

